Recipe Rewind: Coconut Macaroons

Happy Friday!  I'm so ready for this week to be over.  Not that it's been a particularly grueling week; it's actually been relatively breezy compared to most.  But I'm just feeling rundown, and I definitely need a couple of days to stare out windows and read books and get my sock drawer organized.  Things to get me feeling centered and right with the world.  Oh, and I may or may not be baking a 3-layer cake tonight for Bo's Mom's birthday.  Shhhh... it's a surprise cake!  Baking surprise birthday cakes definitely gets me feeling right with the world.  And just so that we can all help her celebrate, I'll post the recipe next week (Italian Cream Cake, folks) along with some photos.  Hurrah for birthdays, am I right?

Chex Party Mix

Knock, knock!  I'm finally back!

I'm this-close to being finished with my chores-y Christmas tasks, and this-close to a whirlwind of baking treats and making candies.  Hurrahhhh!!  I decided to start with my Gramma's Chex mix recipe because it was a speedy-quick one to throw together last night.  Plus, I hadn't made it in at least seven years, so it was high time I revisit this munchy snack.

Recipe Rewind: Homemade Marshmallows

Well, helloooooooo.

I must confess - I've been in a bit of a funk for the past few months.  I could blame it on moving, I suppose.  I love our house, but I'm one of those cranky and OCD Type As who needs everything in its place to feel peace in my own house.  It's getting there, and I'm definitely not putting too much pressure on myself to be an over-achiever with settling in.  But there are moments that I stop in my tracks and just can't wrap my frantic little brain around all the zillion things screaming at me to accomplish.  So it's no shocker that my list-making tendencies are in serious overdrive right now.  Oh, and Christmas is drawing near?  My most favorite  and the dreamiest of holidays?  I've got 3 separate lists going for that.

Lists, lists, lists.  I don't love having them but they definitely help keep my sanity from inching its toe near that crumbling cliff of no return.

It's A Marshmallow World

Oh gosh, oh gosh, oh gosh.

My mom and I are currently in love with homemade marshmallows!  We can't stop talking about them and gushing over how pretty they are and if I'm being honest, we can't stop sneaking them from the pantry to eat.  They taste so much creamier than traditional marshmallows, and the texture is soft without being mushy or sticky.  Oh me, oh my, how we love these things.

There are oodles of photos down below, but don't let that scare you.  There are lots of steps, but they're easy steps, I promise.  I included bucketloads of photos just so that you could see the process as it happens.  I'm a visual person; I like to see how things come together, and I thought you might too.

Make It From Scratch: Vanilla Extract, Part 2

Hurrah for adorable and homemade gifts!! 

I finally dug my vodka bottles out of the pantry and got some 4 oz. jars ordered.  So last night, I got everything strained and poured and labeled and ready to wrap up as Christmas gifts.  And I'm pretty darn pleased with how it all turned out.  Scratch that - I love how it all turned out!

Updated Cost List (for a double batch):

Vanilla Beans: $25.19
Vodka: $24
24 Bottles & Lids (including shipping): $27.27
Labels: no cost, because I already had some in our office supplies
Ribbons: no cost, because I had some leftover from my Sarandipity days

With my two vodka bottles brewing in my pantry, I ended up having enough vanilla extract to fill nearly 30 of the 4 oz. bottles!  But because I only ordered 24, I poured the rest into canning jars to keep for myself :)  So, for 30 bottles, the cost per 4 oz. bottle works out to around $2.60 per bottle.  Which is dirt cheap for real vanilla extract.  Plus, you can't beat an adorable personalized and homemade gift, am I right?

Now, Let's Bake Something!

 

Part 1 & Recipe can be found here

Wash your jars and lids and have them ready, with a funnel, for pouring.

I first tried straining with a coffee filter, but that took forever and eight days.

This fine mesh sieve does a decent job, but will allow a few seeds through.

Using a funnel, pour into each jar, leaving a little extra space for a piece of vanilla bean.

Snip off a small section of your vodka'd vanilla beans for each jar.

I like the end with the curl because it looks pretty in the jars. 

See?  Pretty!

Then, whip up a cutesy personalized label to slap onto each jar.

And gussy up with a ribbon.  Perfect for gift giving!

Make It From Scratch: Vanilla Extract, Part 1

One month later!:

Part 2 & Bottling can be found here

Did you know that it's ridiculously easy to make your own vanilla extract?  All you do is soak vanilla beans in vodka.  Seriously!  My plan is to divide the vanilla into 4oz. bottles to give as Christmas gifts, with cutesy personalized labels.  In the next few weeks, I'll find a site to purchase bottles and lids, but here is the current cost breakdown:

Cost List (for a double batch):
Vanilla Beans: $25.19
Vodka: $24
Bottles & Lids (including shipping): n/a
Labels: n/a

As of right now, the vanilla costs only $1.75 for each 4oz. bottle.  Definitely cheaper than what you'd pay in a grocery store for real vanilla, let alone the imitation stuff.  I'll post my update in a few weeks, so you've got some time to purchased some vodka and vanilla beans.

Speaking of vanilla beans, the ones I purchased online - at Olive Nation - are the plumpest vanilla beans I've ever seen.  Most recipes require soaking the beans for at least two months, but these beans were so juicy, that they flavored the vodka within a month.  Love that!

Annnddddd...!  Olive Nation has offered you lovely readers a discount on their vanilla beans - hurrah!

Just enter discount code tadaa10 at checkout

with Olive Nation for a 10% discount.*

Enjoy!

Homemade Vanilla Extract
adapted from Allrecipes

1.75 L vodka (cheap stuff is just fine)
1/4 lb. vanilla beans, about 25 beans


Snip down the length of each vanilla bean to within an inch of one end.  Pour out some of the vodka to make room for vanilla beans and then put them all in the bottle.  Replace the cap, give it a good shake, and store in a cool, dark area of your kitchen.  Shake the bottle once a week.  Vanilla will be ready after one month or so, but is best when allowed to soak longer, up to 6 months.  Filter the vanilla pieces out and funnel into individual bottles.  Will make approximately 14, 4oz bottles.

Part 2 can be found here

Ingredient Lineup:

Use kitchen shears (or a clean pair of scissors) to split the vanilla beans down to within an inch of one end.

Five minutes later, and the bottle on the right is already turning amber-colored!

One month later, and it's full blown vanilla extract!

Part 2 & Bottling can be found here

* 10% discount applies to all items, except perishables like cheese, caviar, fish etc.